End jam: Nice Playin'; post-drums slightly shaky.

This show got the buzz from a New Yorker article in 2012, which for awhile elevated it out of obscurity to near-Barton mythology. It's worth hearing, and maybe even a top 20 for '80 (the year has several shows this good and better - particularly the Sep/Oct shows and the May/June period). Still, only a dozen have a second set sequence this strong - which is mainly what this show is known for, as has been much remarked. The other thing it's known for is the anachronistic, unusual high quality of the Bob Wagner AUD, taped from the balcony, no less. The tape lends itself to matrices, especially since the SBD is pretty dry - even the official release is a matrix that mixes-in the Wagner AUD. The name "Fox Theater" sounds quaint but it's a grand old theater - 3933 seats. This was just a one-off, even though they had done double-dates here before. They wouldn't be back for 5 years.

First Set. The set is typical 1980 overall, but starts with a strong Feel Like a Stranger (though not like, say 5/16, 6/21). The rest is average-to-creaky until the nice Bird Song - the 1st electric version since '73 (it had already been brought back acoustically). Me & My Uncle is crackling and the rest is average, GOGD until the cool tranny into Deal, the hot homestretch of which leaves 'em happy going into intermission.

Second Set. It's the top sequence of this set that makes the show notable. Scarlet grows into an insane kaleidoscope and dig Fire on the Mountain when the drummers want to close shop and Jer just stomps hard on the wah. The x-factor blows right into Samson & Delilah and on to Ship of Fools, for one of the best sequences of '80. The uptempo Playing is likewise notable. Post-Drums is average '80. Almost all of Space is Jer wrestling to start The Wheel, which is draggy but has an interesting, UJB-like jam section. During the double Berries homestretch, things perk up for Johnny B. Goode - Jer just dives into it, with enough left over for an above average Uncle John's.

1st Set:  C
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¼ Stars

Highlights:
Scarlet Begonias through Playing in the Band - a helluva sequence

SOURCES: The wagner_miller_90497 is the now-famous AUD, but if you venture the history note that it runs fast and needs a -1% pitch correction. The mtx_chappell_sb31 is the best version for the show as a whole, and was wisely used for Dave's #8 (albeit a different mastering and in differing ratios).

this is the sickest show ever!!!! Volume 8! shipping Nov 1st OMG!!! But check out the Duprees from this matrix - Wheel -> Gimme Some - ah.... http://archive.org/details/gd1985-06-15.matrix.chappell.85832.sbeok.flac16

Good quality for the time period. The first set is well played, first electric Bird Song since 1973. Second set Scarlet Begonias opens well, leads into a nice segue jam that builds tension until Garcia's piercing notes call in Fire, 1980 Fires had this certain syncopation with the drums and bass that really lends itself to a groove...unfortunately Garcia doesn't get his ass in gear on his solos until about midway through Fire, his first mutron solo is a burbling rather out of tune sounding noodle...however, overall nice version, look to 10-10-1980 for the Scarlet>Fire that really comes together from this era...rest of the show worth listening too

Just listening to this show and now reading Skobud's amazingly accurate review and even though it's only 2 days later I'm bumping this one to the top of the list of reviews because it's all of what he say's below. Well done all around!

from the matrix to the loser, little red rooster, even lost salior, all versions are clean enough to play for non deadheads.
amazing combos of fast to slow, slow to fast versions, special in this way. really a perfect slice of 1980 peak !

I must have been only one of a handful of people who had not only not heard about this show and the legend behind it, but also not ever given it a spin before reading the New Yorker article. So, needless to say again I went in full tilt blind and I was pleasantly surprised by many of the lesser mentioned tunes from this show, as well as the much talked about Scarlet>Fire.

We start this evening’s performance off with a pretty well done Stranger, which has a beefcake solo inside. At about the 4 minute mark Jerry and Brent take off, but within about 30 seconds later Jerry just leaves him in the dust. This ain’t no speedball neither, seemingly patient and poised and still extremely fast pickin’ by Jerome. Nice job boys, good opener. Loser rolls out next and this one is a beauty. An extremely still feeling to it as Jerry belts out this tearjerker. In order for this tune to be effective, it has to be all quiet and unhurried. This one is and it is great. Cassidy is next, and its OK but nothing too out of the ordinary. Jerry rolls out Ramble On next, and I’m gonna say this is one of the better versions out there. I’m not really a connoisseur of this tune, but he really gets it on this one and the solo is fairly hairy. Jerry’s voice sounds terrific this evening and he surely gives it hell on the last verse. Nice job, fatty. It’s Bobby’s turn next, and he goes with Rooster. Again, nothing too out of the ordinary untiul Jerry takes over on the slide and that’s when shit gets a little more interesting. Not too shabby gents. The Bird Song that follows is a thing of beauty. Not so ferocious, not so aggressive, but very, very easy on the ears. Heavy mellowness with a hint of opium amongst the fluttering of Jerry’s licks. Super cool, super high and euphoria inducing …F*n great version right here. Anyhow, after that masterpiece they roll out the cowboy duo of MAMU>Big River. Not too damn crazy but definitely a solid version of both. Jerry pretty much tears it up throughout both tunes. They slow it down again with Roses following the cowboy combo and I have to admit – it caught me a little off guard. I don’t know if it is the placement or what, but the last thing I was expecting was Roses. Regardless – Bra-vo Jerry on this one. Man, tonight’s ballads are freakin intense! The trifecta of Sailor>Saint> Deal comes up next to round out the first set and it doesn’t disappoint. Im not the biggest fan of Sailor or Saint for that matter, but I cant deny that these are done quite well. Deal is definitely the highlight of the three tunes and Jerry gives it hell to finish off the first set.

Well, all in all that first set was very good. The Tiger is definitely on the prowl this evening, as even the mellowest of tunes are sounding quite intense. Stranger and Bird Song stand out for me, and every ballad was exceptional. What a mellow yet impassioned show this is turning out to be.

The second set starts off with the much touted combo of Scarlet>Fire. This one starts out innocently enough, but it seems like even from the first moment Jerry starts singin’ its got a little extra bounce to it. The chorus the first time around is where this one really seems to start heatin’ up. You can totally hear the crowd losin’ their collective shit after the first go round. At about the 5 minute mark I am realizing just how good this fucker is. Spot on and ferocious without sounding too fast or hurried in any way. He is straight up on fire tonight. He’s not just meandering either, he is definitely playing with purpose and direction. You can hear Brent and Jerry doing some warp speed trading of licks at around the 8-10 minute mark – and Brent is just all over his shit tonight. They are both off their asses playing like this. Yea, this is pretty goddam good and so is the transition. Jerry takes this one into the upper atmosphere while Phil start laying down the chunky ass FOTM riffs all in perfect unison. That my friends, was one for the ages. Jerry starts with ‘Long distance ruunnerr” and once again the crowd collectively howls with excitement. Jerry flips the envelope and away we go. I love the way he sounds tonight – duh – but what I mean is the feeling I am getting that is coming through in his playing. Expressive as hell and soothing as could be. Staying right in line with that heavy mellow vibe I spoke about in the first set. I just can’t say enough about Brent and what he is adding to tonight overall sound. When they are on, they are fuckin’ ON! This monster combo is exactly what I mean by that. I agree that this could be one of the best ever, and definitely the best non ’77-‘78 version this review has ever heard. Samson rolls out after that beast, and I think its kinda tough to even gauge the tune after what they just did. Im not the hugest fan of Samson either, but it was still well played. Ship of Fools follows, and Jerry just crushes it. You could hear a pin drop in that joint during this tune. So quiet and evoking so much emotion, once again he croons this one out like the storyteller he is. The crowd just hanging on every word - I used to love that feeling – like I just couldn’t wait for the next lyric….What a tremendous version right here. Love it and so does the crowd. Perfect fit….The full on jam comes in the form of Playin’>Drums>Space>Wheel>China>R&R>JBG this evening, and it has some really interesting things going on throughout. Playin’ start out speedy, I mean faster than anything else they have played this evening so far. At about 3 min in, Jerry jumps into the water, but not so much in the deep end. Just a couple of his underwater licks and he jumps right back out. This is where it grabbed me – I’m not a fan of the faster Playin’s, but this one was a little more exploratory and didn’t have the feeling of the ones that would come in the next three years(fast just for fasts’ sake). They go in a bunch of different directions as well as right through the goddam roof on a few occasions, however in the end they melt into a tribal African style drums which made me think Paul Simon might be coming out on stage with Ladysmith Black Mambazo for quick Diamond on the Souls…Seriously though, tribal drums bore me, BUT, the Space that follows was pretty freakin’ cool if I do say so myself. Its like one long Wheel tease and you can actually hear several people in the crowd getting confused by this. I hear a few different people asking each other ”what song is this?” Pretty damn cool when the teases are so close that they confuse and comfort at the same time. When they do start Wheel, I was so disappointed to hear Brent up so high with the Synth – turn that shit down Healy or Betty or whoever is manning the fucking board!! It degrades the tune and especially kills the softness and ambiance created by those gentle opening licks by Jerry. When they get it going Brent finally does pipe down somewhat and the tune is pulled of pretty good, but coulda been waaay better without that extra Brent BS at the beginning. The transition onto China Doll is pulled off well and this tear jerker does not disappoint – which has become par for the evening. Man he is killing the ballads tonight. I’d give my left one to see a ballad done this well live. Insanely quiet inside the venue during all of them. People having those extemporaneous uninhibited eruptions of emotion in that ultra quiet atmosphere created by Jerry – just reacting to what they are hearing – so freakin cool….You just cant buy that, and that what I love about these guys so much – the emotion they evoke from the crowd. One of the biggest surprises of the night is the way the straight up rail right into R&R outta China Doll, no slowdown, break or even hint that they are gonna….Just full tilt speedball Chuck Berry close. At about the 1 minute mark, you can hear Brent pulling his best Ozzie Ahlers impression with that crazy wah synth Fender Rhoades sound(correct me please if I am wrong). Sounds IDENTICAL to ‘80 JGB keys. He also does that tinkly drippy clunk sound as well, which he would pull a hell of a lot more in the next few years. They steamroll right into JBG and that is that. A wonderful and not done nearly enough UJB encore rounds out the night, and this show is officially in the books. Now comes the tough part, just how good is this show? How does it stand up to the rest of the canon?

This show is extremely fucking good. It’s the best non-acoustic of 1980 imo and probably could crack my top 25. Shows of this caliber become so damn difficult to discern between because at some point it always comes down to personal preference. It seems to have a personality all its own, extremely mellow while maintaining a fast groove and dominating ballads. This is one spot on damn near perfect performance tonight. This one rates, and straight up deserves a top shelf rating. I give this an A and almost an A+ rating. A better jam sequence would have definitely garnered an upper echelon spot imo, amongst the highest of the high. Its really just a pleasure to hear them playing so tight and especially hearing Jerry absolutely crush every single ballad this evening. Fall of ’80 seems to be the gift that keeps on giving. Carry on frat boys, you guys picked quite the show for a legacy.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/11/26/121126fa_fact_paumgarten

Check it out: "When I asked him about last year’s giant Europe ’72 release, he said, “I have to admit, I have not listened to it.” It should surprise no one that Lesh can recall little or nothing of many Heads’ cherished nights. “Sometimes I remember what they looked like, what they felt like,” he said. I ran a few dates by Lesh, mentioning the venue, the context, the set list, the high points—such as a certain transition in Scar->Fire. [the author is referring to this show] “Scar-Fire?” he repeated, unfamiliar with the shorthand. I may as well have been a Ukrainian Trekkie accosting Leonard Nimoy on the street. “The Fox in Atlanta? I don’t remember,” Lesh said, with a look that seemed to combine apology and condescension. The eighties dates in particular provoked a curdled look. “I may have consciously blocked out some of this stuff,” he said. “It was very distressing to see Jerry fall apart. It seemed like the negation of everything we’d ever worked for. It wasn’t a tribe or a cult or a boys’ club, or anything like that. It was a living organism of several people. It was Homo gestalt. Did you ever read Theodore Sturgeon? ‘More Than Human.’ Check it out. That’s the conceptual matrix.”

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/11/26/121126fa_fact_paumgarten#ixzz2D8SVAtFp

Thanks! Was my first show - I had no idea what I'd just seen - but I sure came back for more. Excellent matrix - I finally got back to the Fox in 2006 with SCI - it sounds just as good as it did in 1980. China Doll is wicked good.

Just found this one. Went to Roses. Don't ask why! Sounded like Jerry was right infront of me!You can hear some folks talking softly, and one dude around the 2:30 mark coughing a little smoke maybe? Got to hear some more, though I don't listen to much after '78. Great job with this one

Great sounding source of a big, fat, smoking monster of a show. I think 1980 was every bit as much of a peak year as 1977 was, and here is Exhibit A.